“Don’t say that to get me to shut up, Connor Ethan. I mean it. Make time for the important stuff. After beating cancer twice, I know how much that important stuff means. Money isn’t everything.”

“But it’s enough,” I joked. “Really, Mom. I hear you. I’ll work on putting myself out there.”

“Liar.”

What could I say? She knew me well.

“Listen to your mother, Connor. What’s the point of having an empire if you have no one to pass it down to once your time comes to an end?”

“I already have charities lined up to give everything to, so we’re all set there.” She sighed, and I felt bad.

“Connor Ethan, don’t upset your mother. Promise me you’ll do at least one thing that isn’t work-related. You’ll find a hobby over the next few weeks.”

“Mom—”

“Promise me! On my life!”

I hated when she did that. I hated when she made me promise on her life because I knew I could never break that promise. After you’d watched your mother battle cancer twice, after you’ve shaved your head multiple times with her in a small bathroom with a cheap electric razor, you realized how important said mom’s life was.

I’d never make a promise on her life if I had no drive to keep that word. The desperation in her voice was almost too painful to bear. She worried about me being lonely.

I worried about that sometimes, too. To combat my loneliness, I stayed later at work some nights, spent hours in the gym, or played Call of Duty with people from around the world. You hadn’t lived a worthy life until a fifteen-year-old in Canada called you a fucking cock sucking little prick bitch after midnight.

I hoped they didn’t kiss their mothers with those filthy mouths.

“I promise,” I swore. “Fuck, I shouldn’t have called you.”

“Language, Connor,” she scolded.

I downed my whiskey. “Sorry, Mom.”

“I have to go, sweetie. Danny is picking me up for a late date.”

I sat up straighter in my chair. “Wait. Danny? Who’s Danny?!”

“Oh honey, I can’t talk now. I love you; we’ll talk soon! I’ll call you tomorrow. Kisses!” And with that, she hung up.

Who the hell was Danny?

Within seconds, I was shooting off a text to Jax down in Kentucky. Even though I’d moved to New York, he was one of my closest friends in the whole world. I knew he’d be able to help me figure out what was going on.

Connor: Who the hell is Danny?

Jax: Good to hear from you, too.

Connor: Sorry. Hi, Jax. How’s Kennedy? How are the kids? How’s the weather? Who the fuck is Danny?!

Jax: Language, Connor.

Connor: Yeah, yeah, yeah. My mom said she has a date with Danny. Who is this guy?

Jax: Unlike every other person in this small town, I stay out of other people’s business.

Connor: My mom can’t be out there dating jerks.

Jax: Danny isn’t a jerk.

Connor: So you do know him! Tell me everything. I’m gonna call you.

Jax: Don’t call me, Connor. I hate talking on the phone.

Connor: Even with your bestie?

Jax: You’re not my bestie.

Connor: Your sense of humor doesn’t come off as well as it should via text.

Jax: …Right.

Connor: Tell me one detail about this Danny guy and I’ll leave you alone.

Jax: Swear?

Connor: On my mother.

Jax: Fine. He’s a hardworking employee.

Connor: What?! This guy works for you?! What in the land of betrayal is that?!

Jax: Listen, it’s not my fault he met your mom when she brought some of her baked goods to me at a landscaping job. It just so happened Danny was there with me, and he liked her baked goods.

Connor: I hope to God you’re talking about her lemon bars and not her personal baked goods.

Jax: Definitely talking about her personal baked goods. It seems Danny’s really into her cinnabuns.

Connor: You think this is funny, but it’s not. Now you have to think about my sweet innocent mother having sexual relations with some random guy named Danny!

Jax: You want me to think about your mom having sex?

Connor: What? No. Stop. Don’t do that.

Jax: It’s too late. The images are already in my head.

Connor: I hope Kennedy divorces you.

Jax: Do you think sweet Rebecca is a top or bottom?

Connor: This conversation is over.

Jax: I wonder if she’s into role-playing.

Connor: Shut up.

Jax: It’s like those bad knock-knock jokes you’ve always told. Rebecca’s like knock-knock, and Danny asks who’s there, and bam! It’s her sitting on his face.

Connor: I hope you burn in hell.

Jax: I could use the tan. Night, kid.

After a conversation with Jax that only gave me more stress than I had before, I was left wondering how my sweet mother ended up getting tangled up with some dude named Danny.

8

Aaliyah

Nothing said anxiety like entering a room filled with complete strangers. If I were ever in those old Saw movies where I was put into a deadly situation that terrified me, it would’ve been me in a room surrounded by people I didn’t know. What were they thinking when they looked at me? What were their first impressions? Did they like me? Did I come off as weird?